Bravery Award

I would like to acknowledge Katelyn in Ms. Kontos' class for her courageous act in seeking help for a family member who was in need of medical attention. Katelyn took matters into her own hands and made excellent choices thinking quickly and maturely on her feet. Katelyn is a very responsible young lady who always puts others first. She is always on the look out for those who could use a kind word or a simple pat on the shoulder. I would like to honor Katelyn at this time for being such a strong young lady and an positive role model. I am confident that Katelyn will fulfill her dreams in the future and make a positive impact on those around her.

Pictured (l to r): Ms. Kontos, Mrs. Crispo, Katelyn, and Mr. Middleton-Cox

Boil Water Order Lifted

Good morning everyone,
 
Governor Patrick early this morning announced that the water flowing to Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) communities is once again clean and safe for all purposes, following repair of the rupture of the major water supply line to much of Greater Boston on Saturday, May 1st.

The boil-water order, which was issued at 4 p.m. on Saturday, has been lifted for all of the 30 MWRA communities east of Weston whose water service was interrupted by a rupture of the MetroWest Water Supply Tunnel on Saturday.

State officials have offered the following guidelines for communities:

Residents are advised to “flush” their water following the lifting of the boil water order to clear plumbing of potentially contaminated water.  Flushing household and building water lines includes interior and exterior faucets; showers; water and ice dispensers; water treatment units, etc.

Cold Water Faucets: Run tap water until the water feels cold, 1 minute or more, before drinking, tooth brushing, or using for food preparation.

Hot Water Faucets: To clear hot water pipes and water heater of untreated water, turn on all hot water faucets and flush for a minimum of 15 minutes for a typical household 40-gallon hot water tank and 30 minutes for an 80-gallon hot water tank or larger. Never use water from the “hot” faucet for drinking, cooking, or other internal-consumption purposes. After this flushing, hot water is then safe to use for washing hands, and for hand-washing of dishes, pots and pans, etc. 

Refrigerators:  Water dispensers from refrigerators should be flushed by at least one quart of water.

Dishwashers:  After flushing hot water pipes and water heater, run dishwasher empty one time. 

Humidifiers: Discard any water used in humidifiers, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), oral, medical or health care devices, and rinse the device with clean water.

Food and baby formula: Be sure you have discarded any baby formula or other foods prepared with water on the days of the boil order.

Ice cubes: Automatic ice dispensers should be emptied of ice made during the boil water order. Then, discard ice made over an additional 24 hour period to assure complete purging of the water supply line.

Due to the flushing of the lines by residents and the flushing of the hydrants, some customers may experience a lack of water pressure and/or discolored water. However, this is an expected result and does not pose a health risk. Contact your local Water Department if you have any questions.

Since Monday morning, more than 800 water samples at 482 locations have been taken in affected communities, with those samples tested by MWRA under protocols agreed-upon with the Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). Those tests have shown no contamination that could threaten public health. As a result, the boil water order can be lifted, and normal use of water can be resumed, in 29 of the 30 affected communities, following certain steps to ensure than any less-than-fully treated water is purged from the water supply system in homes, businesses, and institutions.

Beginning at approximately 6:40 p.m. Saturday, back-up water supply of chlorinated, but not fully treated water from the Chestnut Hill reservoir was used to supplement treated water delivered through the Hultman Aqueduct (which is in the midst of rehabilitation to provide redundant capacity for the MetroWest Tunnel) to maintain water pressure for flushing, fire fighting, and other priority uses. But this water was not deemed safe for drinking or cooking without decontamination by boiling for at least a full minute.

The source of the rupture was swiftly determined to be a failed coupling connecting sections of the MetroWest Tunnel in Weston. With crews working through the night, MWRA and its contractors were able to fabricate a replacement coupling and install it by 4 a.m. on Monday, May, 3rd. After pressure testing and disinfection, the repaired MetroWest Tunnel was up and running by 6 a.m., in time for the morning peak water demand.

Additional information can be found at www.mwra.com.

Water Emergency

Dear Parents,
Please be informed that school will be in session tomorrow Monday, May 3rd. The scheduled lunch menu for tomorrow will be served with some minor changes. The National Guard delivered water to Wakefield today so I had bottled water delivered to our schools this afternoon in preparation for the opening of school. Because we will have a limited supply of bottled water available for our students, we ask that students bring individual water bottles to school if possible. All water fountains will be turned off and covered so students will not have access to them during the school day. I will keep you updated as more information is obtained. Please know that we will take all necessary precautions to ensure the safety of our students.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at landersj@wakefield.k12.ma.us.
Thank you in advance,
Joan Landers
Superintendent of Schools

Boil Water Notice In Effect

Hello Woodville Community,
Please see the message below and the attachment regarding the Boil Water notice. I will send more information as I receive it.
Mr. Middleton-Cox

----- Original Message -----

This is an emergency water use notification being sent by Wakefield Fire Chief Michael Sullivan and Wakefield DPW Director Rick Stinson.

The MWRA has issued a boil water notice for all its communities, including Wakefield, until further notice. There is a major water leak in a MWRA water supply pipe in Weston. All residents are asked to conserve water and to boil any water used for drinking. Water can still be used for bathing, flushing, and fire protection.

Another emergency alert will be sent to all Wakefield residents once this ban has been lifted.

Citizens with urgent inquiries can contact the MWRA at 781-305-5970.

============
Citizens,

As you are aware, a boil water order has been issued by the MWRA and the Town of Wakefield in response to a break of the main MWRA water line in Weston, MA. Wakefield is fortunate in the fact that we are able to supply the town with water from Crystal Lake, which is not impacted by the MWRA breakage. However, it is still possible that untreated MWRA water may enter the system for a number of reasons.

ACCORDINGLY, THE BOIL WATER ORDER IS STILL IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

During this trying period we ask for your assistance in the following areas:

Please limit your usage of water for non essential purposes.

Please obtain regular updates on mwra.com and mass.gov throughout this is incident.

Please refer to the Town website for periodic updates regarding the Town’s water supply

Please refer to www.mass.gov/dep/water/drinking/boilordr.htm for information on the procedures to be followed pursuant to the boil order.

Please be assured that the water quality in Wakefield will be monitored to ensure the safety of all citizens.

This Week's Principal's Award Winner

This week’s Principal’s Award Winner is Bobby in Mrs. Ferguson’s Class. Bobby is a wonderful fourth grade role model. He is an excellent student and always participates in class. More importantly, Bobby consistently demonstrates the Woodville Core Values of Respect, Responsibility, Cooperation, Honesty, and Caring. He is well liked by his peers and is always helping a classmate in need. He has a great sense of humor and a positive attitude. Bobby is an absolute pleasure to have in class and will be missed as he moves on to Galvin.

Visual and Performing Arts Day

Yesterday, our students in grades 1-4 attended the Visual and Performing Arts Day at the Galvin Middle School. Students were able to view artwork of Wakefield students and then enjoy a musical performance by high school students. It was wonderful to see all that creativity. The picture below is a wall of Woodville student work.

Student Artwork for the Principal's Office

Our art teachers, Mrs. Pierri and Mrs. Beinart selected four pieces of work to be hung in my office for all who visit to enjoy. I am so proud of their work!

Last Week's Principal's Award Winner

Last week’s Principal’s Award Winner is Elianna from Mrs. Shea’s class. Elianna earned this award for always being a special student and friend! She is the first one to help a friend with a problem or their work. She is gentle, kind and caring to all of us and takes the time each day to find a way make everyone feel important. She does her very best all of the time and inspires others to do the same. Her work is carefully done. When we have a Second Step class discussion, she shares good advice in a nice way. We are lucky that she is part of our class and that we have the chance every day to learn from her. Congratulations Elianna!

The Battle at Lexington

On Monday, April 19th, Patriots Day here in Massachusetts, students from Mr. Verge's 3rd grade class went to the Lexington Green VERY early in the morning to see a reinactment of the battle. Mrs. Keegan, one of our parents wrote: We went to the re-enactment of the first battle of Lexington today and it was great! 16 students from Mr Verge's class were there. After the battle, he met everyone by the big flag pole, brought one of the "Red Coats" over  and they recited their poem. I must say I was not looking forward to getting up at 4:30AM  today, but am very glad that we did!

Blue Ribbon Conference Last Week

Last Thursday and Friday, I attended the Blue Ribbon Conference for Excellence in Reading, MA with Mr. Verge, Mrs, Campbell, and Mrs. Burdick. The conference was inspiring and very educational. There were over 100 sessions to choose from. Those of us that attended will bring what we learned back to the Woodville School. I was also happy to give a presentation on blogging for educational leaders with my colleague, Eric Sprung, the Principal of Birch Meadow School in Reading.

Celebration of Learning

The Wakefield Educational Foundation (WEF) held it's annual Celebration of Learning Event tonight. At the Woodville School, our 8 student award recipients were chosen by their very own classmates. They were chosen based on our schools core values --- respect, caring, cooperation, honesty, and responsibility. These students have found ways to connect with their peers and live the values of our school. When speaking with some of their classmates, it became quite clear to me why these students were chosen for recognition. They are described as very respectful of the school rules, the teachers, and other students. These students always include everyone (for example when playing a game) and they do not exclude anyone. They are friendly to everyone and if a fellow student is sad, these students check-in with that student to cheer them up. This supports the Woodville’s Compassion Value. These students are also responsible. They always are prepared for school – ready to learn. They complete their homework in a timely fashion. These students also display positive behavior in and out of the classroom. It is my pleasure to recognize and honor the following students ----
Congratulations to:
Meaghan 4 Ferguson
Alex 4-Ferguson
Mitchell 4-Foley
Cara 4-Foley
Anna 4-Kontos
Dhruv 4-Kontos
Matthew 4-Bouchard
Kelly 4-Bouchard
I was also so pleased to honor Mrs. Michelle Ferguson (4th grade teacher), Ms. Kathy Palumbo (Special Education Teacher), and Mrs. Anne Doherty (School Secretary) for their dedication and service to the students at the Woodville School. They are three remarkable ladies who impact the lives of students daily. All three of them go above and beyond the call of duty each day to impact students! The teachers and students salute them!

Kim Smith has been an excellent volunteer for the Woodville School. Her last child, Ryan, is moving on to the Galvin Middle School and we will miss her energy and enthusiasm at the Woodville. She has been with the school since it opened 7 year ago. She served on the school council for the first 2 years and then the executive committee for 4 years. She has chaired many committees including: fund raising, room parent, family night, field day, the Halloween party, and the teacher’s luncheon, etc. She was co-chair of the popular Woodville Spring marketplace for 3 years which raised a lot of money for the Woodville School to further it’s mission. She has served as the PTO co-president for the past 2 years. Our staff loves Kim's smiling, supportive face at school and are impressed that she knows the students names and cares for them, We will certainly miss her at Woodville next year.

Earth Balloon

Through the gracious support of our PTO, students enjoyed seeing an inflatable representation of our Earth. Students identified continents, bodies of water, and other landmarks during this interactive experience. Thank you, PTO!

This Week's Principal's Award Winner

This week’s Principal’s Award Winner is Katie in Mrs. Russell’s Class. Katie is a very special little girl who has some very special qualities. Not only does she demonstrate all of the Woodville School core values, but she goes out of her way to make all children feel special. Katie is a student who every student enjoys being with because of her kind and caring ways. Katie is a true leader who never follows the crowd just to be accepted. She makes sure that all students are included, even when others do not. She never leaves anyone out because she has a heart of gold and truly cares about everyone equally. She looks for the good in everyone equally. What a treasure!

Science Fun

Students in Mrs. Ryan's second grade class had lots of fun in their science experiment today. They were learning about spheres and they created tracks in which they found ways to use tubes to race a sphere. The children were having a lot of fun while learning!

Rolling for Addition

Students in Mrs. Shea's first grade class were rolling dice to use each number on the face of the die as addends to get a sum. They were having a lot of fun learning their math facts!

Place Value in Math

Mrs. Burdick's first graders were studying place value today. When I visited their classroom, they were using base ten blocks to understand the concept of regrouping. Students were turning ten sets of tens into a group of 100.

Word Study

Students in Mrs. McDonald and Mrs. Machaiek's class were working hard on a "Word Study" activity today. The Word Study is part of the Wakefield Public School's new Literacy Program. Students in this class were working on words with open and closed vowel sounds.

We Speak for the Trees

Students in Ms. Bedrick's second grade class read the Dr. Seuess Book "The Lorax" and wrote creative writing pieces as they "spoke for the trees."

PTO Nominations for Next Year

Would you like to get involved in the Woodville PTO to benefit our students????

Now is the time to nominate yourself or someone else for the Woodville PTO.

Click here to go to the PTO Website and then click on the nomination form. Feel free to print it out and send back to school in your child's backpack, or email it to me.

Volunteers Make A Difference!

This Week's Principal's Award Winner

This week’s Principal’s Award Winner is Joseph in Mrs. Shea’s Class. Joey deserves the principal’s award for never being too busy to help a friend. He is patient and finds the right way to explain things to people. He is excited about whatever we are learning in school. He strives to do his best everyday and that is contagious. Joey has a funny sense of humor that makes the class smile-a lot!! He loves to share stories and listens well when others are sharing their stories.